Synopsis of Calves & Thigts Juergen Teller

Calves & Thights presents some of his most significant series, with portraiture serving as the central theme – a key element in Teller’s photographic work, as he himself has remarked: “I am, above all, a photographer of people”. And it is hardly surprising that portraiture is Teller’s forte, as the German photographer has a knack for making his subjects feel at ease in front of his lens, allowing them to relax and play the part he seeks; which is why his work centres on portraying family members, friends, models, celebrities and even himself – who on many occasions becomes the protagonist of his own photographs, thereby exploring the concept of the camera as an autonomous entity beyond the photographer’s hands. A clear example of these self-portraits is his ‘Louis XV’ series, a set of photographs taken in Paris in which Teller appears completely naked alongside one of his muses, the actress Charlotte Rappling, posing irreverently and creating bold and striking nudes.